1. Committee Introductions – each person provided a brief introduction.Everyone should send a couple of sentences to Amy for a “meet the committee” blog post.

2. Brief Committee Overview (Ryan) – started about 4 years ago as part of a larger trend seen in other associations such as AAM, which has a young professionals group.Ruth & Ryan saw a need, from a staff perspective, to engage with students and emerging conservators in a structured way, within AIC.Through trial and error, found a way to engage the audience for the committee (including AIC’s first blog) using social media.Gradually built up and established structure and roles.The mentoring program and annual meeting activities developed into key initiatives, and we have a robust group spanning the “emerging” career spectrum, and many new exciting initiatives.The conference calls started out as more program than committee business, but now they have turned into committee business, even though anyone is welcome to call in.Business Meeting at the annual meeting is for committee business, but programs have been added, such as the Portfolio Session.More growth is anticipated, and this is an exciting time for the committee.

3. Committee Process (Ruth) – Post-graduates and students are a critical group for AIC. Important for Ryan and Ruth to be informed of the group’s activities, to identify synergies within AIC.Use Ryan and Ruth as point of contact and liaisons to other AIC staff. Stephanie, as Board liaison, works on our behalf with the Board.The Board will be approving and providing directives to ECPN, and they appreciate ECPN and what we’ve accomplished.Committee has diversified significantly since the earliest days.Goal to have the committee serve everyone in the “emerging” conservator category, with equal emphasis.Board meets three times per year (IAG meeting will occur in November in conjunction with Board meeting).Molly’s role as Chair includes reporting about ECPN to the AIC Board.

4. Communications Overview (Amy) – Her role involves print media, such as the 2011 AIC meeting poster and flier, and ANAGPIC flier, writing and soliciting blog content, writing at times for AIC News, being involved with the Publications Committee and Wikis as an ECPN representative.As Wikis develop, will act as liaison for specialty groups looking to leverage help from emerging conservators to populate Wikis.Act as ECPN secretary (taking and posting meeting minutes).

5. Professional Education and Training Overview (Amber) – Communicating to the different universities involved with training in conservation, and working with ETC to look at their website and generate ideas, contributions for it (working with Stephanie).Move forward on a student research repository initiative and develop liaison positions for each of the conservation training programs.Surveyed the ECPN members at the beginning, and a follow-up two years ago to see what people’s interests were and how ECPN could serve them.The Portfolio Session was a new initiative this year, and this program involved coordinating participation by the programs and coordinating the on-site execution.This initiative was very successful and it can grow in new directions, perhaps helping to connect emerging conservators to job opportunities.

6. Student Research Repository (Carrie) – Exploring how to meet the needs of the students and training programs.At the 2011 AIC meeting, discussed the concerns and interests of students and training program faculty and staff.Questionnaire being developed to see how the initiative could be supported and populated with research content.The repository will be an ECPN/AIC joint initiative, with cooperation from the educational institutions.

7. Poster Abstract (Carrie) – For AIC 2012 meeting. Collecting case studies.May have an interactive component, to showcase emerging conservators’ blogs, etc.Awaiting acceptance notification.Carrie is reaching out to people to solicit content for case studies.Abstract is general, overarching, so some flexibility in the selection of case studies.If abstract is accepted, Amy, Anisha, and Megan to work on poster, and pick up Comments from Facebook and Blog with ideas for case studies.

8. Chair and Vice-Chair Overview (Molly and Eliza) – Began drafting documents describing roles (Vice-Chair is a new position).Share organizational roles and project/team leadership.Mentoring program, annual meeting organization, Angels Project, allied professionals lists, student research repository are all projects they’ll be directly involved in.Molly’s Chair duties involve making reports to the Board will be hers solely, but other duties can be shared with Eliza working as second-in-command.

9. Committee Communication (Stephanie) – Stephanie mentioned that communication between committee members and the Chair and Vice-Chair should be enhanced – the Chair and Vice-Chair need to be aware of what everyone is working on, and any critical developments.The creation of the Vice-Chair position helps relieve the burden on the Chair, and also gives ECPN a more formal structure like the other AIC committees.This structure provides for continuity by having the Vice-Chair ultimately move into the Chair position.

10. Agenda Development (Molly) – standing items include an update from each officer, but items can be added by emailing the Chair before the meeting.

11. Basecamp for ECPN (Amy & Ryan) – Amy suggested ECPN use Basecamp to organize committee documents and discussions, and has experience using it through the Publications Committee.Ryan asked Rachael Perkins Arenstein about ECPN using Basecamp, and the licenses are available.Ryan will follow up with Rachael to obtain licenses for ECPN and arrange for Basecamp training during a future call.

12. Outreach Overview (Anisha & Megan) – Molly will set up a call with Heather, Amy, Ryan, Anisha, and Megan.Pick up any projects Heather was working on.Ryan to set up Anisha & Megan’s blog author privileges and admin status for Facebook.Projects Heather initiated, including a networking toolkit and organizing webinars, will be continued. In the past, selection of topics has been democratic and open to whoever wants to write, with committee agreement.Develop blogging strategies – keep a running list of ideas and then use it to identify potential authors and prioritize topics.Keep momentum by having steady activity on social media.Committee members are encouraged to write, comment, and participate actively on the committee’s social media sites.

13. Terms (Molly) – Terms have been irregular in the past, but now ECPN will bring the terms in line with those used by other committees.The terms will last for a year and turn over at each AIC annual meeting.Amber felt that the Chair position could benefit from being a longer term, because of the nature of the projects the Chair undertakes and leads.

Current terms:

1.Molly-will serve as Chair for approximately 1 year 8 months

2.Eliza, Megan and Anisha-will serve 8 month terms with the option for renewal for a second term. If Eliza chooses to stay on for a second “term,” will then become Chair for one year after Molly steps down.

3.Amy will serve until AIC 2012.

4.Carrie will serve until AIC 2013.

5.Amber will serve until December 2011.

14. Rose (former Chair) joined to indicate that she was available to answer any questions that arise.

15. Anisha will take minutes for 10/31 call, which Amy is unable to attend.The future calls will be on the 3rd Monday of each month, starting in November.The previous month’s minutes (for review prior to approval) and agenda will be sent out on the Friday before each call.

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About the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network

In April 2008, AIC formed the Emerging Leaders Network for AIC members just entering the field of conservation (both conservators and conservation students) for the following purposes:

Create and maintain a forum and network for AIC members who are entering the field of conservation. This includes: undergraduate students, pre-program individuals, graduate students, and conservators with fewer than seven years experience including graduate school or other training.

Assist AIC in enhancing ways to serve our members who are just entering the field of conservation and help members as they make the transition from student to conservation professional.

About the Authors

AIC is the national membership organization supporting conservation professionals in preserving cultural heritage by establishing and upholding professional standards, promoting research and publications, providing educational opportunities, and fostering the exchange of knowledge among conservators, allied professionals, and the public.